


BBC Merlin: Redux   Episode 1

by I_Met_A_Girl



Series: BBC Merlin: Redux [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Angst, Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Canon Era, Crack, Crack Treated Seriously, Fluff and Angst, Good Morgana (Merlin), Humor, Immortal Merlin (Merlin), M/M, Merlin doesn't hide his magic, Merthur - Freeform, POV Multiple, Time Travel Fix-It, episode rewrite, ohhh does he, the fucking enormous fuck you dragon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:35:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22240408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_Met_A_Girl/pseuds/I_Met_A_Girl
Summary: Some tellings of Arthurian mythos say that the greatest warlock to walk the Earth and personal mentor to the Once and Future King experienced time backwards. (I don't really get it, but it worked in The Sword and The Stone cartoon, right?)Hundreds of years post Arthur's death, Merlin finds himself reliving his time with Arthur, starting at their first street fight. Maybe this is his chance to change things! Maybe he's just finally lost his head and isn't back in time at all. Maybe someone just wanted to give Merlin more time with his soulmate.Whatever the case, Merlin knows one thing: LAST TIME DIDN'T WORK! Hiding his magic and protecting Arthur from behind the scenes DIDN'T WORK! So this time he's going in blazing. Armed with magic he has perfected over centuries and a loyalty that could take out the Saxons AND the Huns, he will do everything to protect Arthur - just like he always has! What's Uther gonna do? Kill him??? Good luck, you open can of flat Mountain Dew, our boy is IMMORTAL!
Relationships: Gwen/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), it didn't work out but they're all still friends
Series: BBC Merlin: Redux [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1600873
Comments: 197
Kudos: 613





	1. Prologue?

**Author's Note:**

> Only fair to say that the inspiration comes from the classic HP fic, Oh God Not Again by Sarah1281 and the maybe-one-day-will-be classic Merlin at Hogwartsby stellisnotamermaid   
> Credit where credit is due

"NO YOUNG MAN, NO MATTER HOW GREAT, CAN KNOW HIS DESTINY. HE CANNOT GLIMPSE HIS PART IN THE GREAT STORY THAT IS ABOUT TO UNFOLD. LIKE EVERYONE, HE MUST LIVE AND LEARN. AND SO IT WILL BE FOR THE YOUNG WARLOCK ARRIVING AT THE GATES OF CAMELOT. A BOY THAT WILL, IN TIME, FATHER THE LEGEND. HIS NAME: MERLIN."

-KILGHARRAH

Let's get fanservicey


	2. Episode 1 Part 1 - The Dragon is Starting to Yell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In part 1 of the rewrite of of "The Dragon's Call" Merlin reveals himself to be a magic-user - and a powerful one at that - before making a dramatic escape. That night, he shows up in Arthur's room and by some strange miracle convinces Arthur to come with him to meet the great dragon under the castle instead of having him immediately arrested. It would seem the half cannot hate what makes it whole.

“You can't address me like that.”

Melin has replayed this moment in his head so many times that he's thought of many more comebacks since that day. This is his one chance to use one of them (probably), but a wistful nostalgia forces his hand. “I'm sorry. How long have you been training to be a prat, My Lord?”

Arthur's smile twists like it did all those years before, right before he swings at Merlin with a mace. A mace. Who gave this chiiiild a mace? Merlin jokes to himself. A not-small part of him wants to play things out the same way, through the whole memory, let himself be chased round the market square and tripping Arthur at every opportunity. Swing a mace at him until Arthur finally gets the jump on, then ends up telling the guards to let Merlin go. He wants to. But no.

Time is frozen around them.

Merlin is so much stronger and smarter than he used to be.

At least in terms of magic.

He strolls through the motionless knights around him, greeting each and every one.

“Leon! Good to see you, buddy.” He claps a hand on Leon's shoulder and takes note of the look of resignation to all the world's bullshit that he didn't get to enjoy before. “It's been forever. We should catch up, but first, I'll be taking this.”

“And who the _fuck_ are you? Who the fuck _are_ you? Did Arthur fire you the same day? Get outta here.” He shoves that one down before moving on, disarming each and every person who might rush to Arthur's aid.

Once he's done, the pile of weaponry is downright cartoonish. So much so that Merlin rubs a hand over his face and just takes a moment to soak in the stupidity of it all. Were things always this absurd? Yes. Yes they were. Frustration and fondness for this world. Same feeling he has for Arthur.

Arthur. Arthur who he failed. Arthur who left him alone for hundreds of years. The worst person you will ever meet, and Merlin's best friend. It should be weirder seeing him. Mind breaking, really. But Merlin doesn't feel any of that. Maybe he's in shock. It doesn't matter. Does it? He takes the mace out of Arthur's outstretched grip and tosses it into the pile, before vanishing it all into storage.

“I missed you.” Merlin swallows. “I have... so much to say. I don't know where to start.” He wraps his arms around Arthur, hands holding his shoulders from behind, face turned into his hair. “I'm sorry.”

“I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.”

“I'm sorry I didn't hold you like you needed to be held. I'm sorry I was too slow. I'm sorry I didn't die by your side.”

With a deep inhale, he pushes back his exhausted self-loathing and gets to his point. “Last time, I hid my magic. I followed all the rules as best I could. I thought that was being good. But that way didn't work. So if I have this second chance. We're going to try it differently this time.”

He staggers backwards to his spot and smirks. “I'm going to be a little more... ostentatious.” Time resumes.

“Haha! Come on then, Merlin! Come -”

Merlin laughs out his nose at the stupid look on Arthur's face.

“What the – sorcerer! He's a sorcerer!”

The knights move to action is slowed considerably by the moment it takes for them to realize their weapons have been taken too. Merlin, on the other hand, throws a hand up to the sky and tilts his head to suit a defiant scowl, the very picture of trying too hard, and in his best villain voice projects to his audience: **“Ligfyr onbærne swiþe”** The knights are stopped in their tracks as a wall of flames circles Merlin from the ground up.

They soar in height as they move to close around Merlin, to swallow him. He drops the pose and makes eye contact with Arthur, who to his credit, looks like he is at least thinking about how to rush Merlin. “We'll meet again, Arthur Pendragon.” The circle closes in, and Merlin disappears before them.

* * *

“How could you do this?! How could you think to do this? Hunith left you in my care, and you have endangered us both!”

Man he's stiff. Merlin cuts him off before this can go on. “Gaius I'm from the future.”

“No excuse can possibly make up...for... “ he falters, “For what you....” Merlin's words and dead serious expression registering. “No, you're not. Don't lie to me, boy.”

“I'm not. Can I explain myself, please?”

Gaius makes an incredulous hand motion, which Merlin takes to mean yes. “You taught me that warlocks age backwards, remember? And at the time, I said that didn't make any sense, because it doesn't, and you said of course it doesn't because it's just a legend. Well obviously you don't remember our conversation, but you know that concept. Do I still have you?”

“You're aging backwards?”

“No, I don't think so. More like the truth got twisted into a legend. I've traveled back through my own personal timeline, as if I've rewound my own life. - You wouldn't know what rewinding is. I'm an idiot. No wait, we winded stuff before tapes - Anyway! – you get the idea.”

“And what made you believe making yourself a public enemy of the kingdom would make a better timeline?”

“Last time I hid my magic just like you said.

And nearly everyone besides me died.”

Gaius takes a long pause. Merlin watches his mentor's face change, watch the gears turning in his head. He tries to be patient, but. “It's great to see you again.” He cracks. He breaks down right there in front of Gaius, just like he had done so many times before. It's far from his first, and it won't be his last. “All I ever try to do is hold it together and protect everyone, and it didn't work. I'm not even sure if this is time travel. Am I just in somebody's basement enchanted and drugged out of my mind, and this is all a fantasy to keep me from resisting? Gaius, I don't know if – and nobody ever tells me – no one is ever clear it's all just lies I had to keep holding up all the time every day but I'd take any of that over going back to being alone and that just makes me pathetic because what kind of person”

All the words trail together until even in his head the sentences are unfinished.

Gaius listens to all of it, just as he always did. And as he hands him a cup of water, Merlin thinks his younger self didn't give his guardian enough credit.

* * *

Late in the night, Merlin waits for the dragon's voice to call. He's had hours to prepare, holed up in his old room with paper and pen, invisible to those searching for him. The distant, “Merlin...Merlin....” of his old friend, Kilgharrah, is his cue to walk the dead empty halls to Arthur's room, so conveniently unlocked.

Before saying anything, Merlin raids the room to confiscate all weaponry, and then for good measure, every jug, boot, thick plate, piece of silverware or stray armor, and anything else he knows Arthur would use improv when given a chance. Arthur's still gonna jump him immediately. Merlin is cool with that.

Now for the truly difficult part.

Merlin, with no small amount of joy, drives his elbow into Arthur's chest. “Wake up, you ass.”

Arthur hisses and snuffles and, ever the vigilant warrior ready for enemy attacks, rolls on his side and mumbles into his arm. “Go back to bed.”

“I will not. There is a dragon keeping me from sleep.”

“You're just dreaming. We'll talk tomorrow.”

“Oh we will talk right now, mister. There is a DRAGON under the CASTLE waiting for us.”

Arthur was clearly more awake than he let on, as Merlin notes when he sees the other's turn was a discreet way to put his hand under his pillow, looking for a knife that wasn't there.

"We don't have time for this," though really he'd like to prolong it, see the look on Arthur's face when he sees the state of his room, or fight over getting up for the day, all the things Merlin didn't expect to miss... Later. Instead, he grabs The Once and Future Partner in Codependency by the shoulder and drags him out of bed. “Come on, up up up. Uuup up up.”

Arthur, quite predictably, takes him out right at the knees with a thump, pins him, and goes for the throat, leaving Merlin breathless. And helpless.

But not for the hands around his neck. It's the searching look in Arthur's eyes that leaves him unable to breathe. It sears Merlin's skin, all his attention diverted and fixed back on one point in this world that takes up his view, and this would be a daydream if he weren't being choked.

Arthur speaks so quiet, as if he doesn't want to wake anyone up. “Why didn't you attack me?”

“I did, didn't I?”

“With your _magic!_ Why didn't you attack me _with your magic?_ ” His grip loosens without thinking.

“Sire, I physically don't think I could do that.”

It was a little annoying to Arthur, how the sorcerer acted like they were friends. How he seemed unafraid of his position, as if no part of him thought he even _might_ die here. He's either the bravest man Arthur's ever met – or just an entire idiot. An idiot proficient in magic? Did he just call him sire? That seems out of character considering their last encounter. But what did he really know about this man? Even under Arthur's hands, he looked up at him with nothing but affection – pure, pure, puppy-dog-eyed affection. It made Arthur feel a little nauseous somehow, and it took to now for him to notice that he was no longer choking Merlin at all, just kind of... cradling his neck.

He moves entirely off at that point, princely self-preservation entirely overcome by hypermasculine embarrassment.

Sat on the floor with his knees up and lets Merlin sit on his legs right in front of him. He seems a tiny bit dazed – which GOD Arthur understood – before seemingly getting his limited wits back. “So, there's a dragon waiting for us. Or well, I'm trying to be more honest, so I'll admit really he's only waiting for me (and I can hear him getting impatient), but I want you to come along.

“You want me to come with you to talk to a chained up dragon who would attack Camelot the moment he had any semblance of a chance?”

“Yes.”

“No!”

“Why not? He's still chained.”

“I don't trust you!” Merlin winces and steps back, curling in to look smaller. Arthur felt unjustifiably guilty. Unjustifiably because he has no reason to trust this man and really should be bringing him in right this second, and guilty because Merlin's submission looked like hurt rather than fear, something Arthur is not used to seeing in his daily life.

But he still wouldn't say sorry.

Merlin reaches to his side and comes up with a folded piece of paper. When Arthur does not take it, he puts it in the other's hand and gingerly closes his fingers around it. He seems happier to do it that way regardless. “May I light the candles so you can read that?”

“Um.”

“Um?”

“Um...”

“The height of eloquence as always, my lord.”

“You can't speak to me like that.” Why did he feel himself smiling? Nothing about this is ok!

“Oh so you do prefer prat then.”

“No – I – you...”

“You're still processing. Got it. I'm just going to get you some light then, because you will want to see what's on that note.” His first plan was the light every candle in the room at once, but that would be a waste of candle wax. Instead, he makes a ball of light with his best aesthetic attempt to make it look pretty and cute and _magical_ but in a wondrous way.

Arthur blinked at the star before him, stunned.

Despite the light cast before them, Merlin's eyes never left his king's face. His voice drops to a whisper, it's a command and a plea. “Read it.”

Arthur turns back to the paper with a twitch in his jaw. “Fine.”

He unfolds the paper and holds it closer to the star. “Things You Told Me -”

“Shh shh sh read it to yourself.”

“We're alone.”

“You said you'd make my life a living hell if I mentioned any of this out loud.”

“I never -”

“Just read it!”

“If it'll shut you up for more than three seconds.”

_Things You Told Me in Confidence_

  * _You have feelings for Morgana's lady's maid, Guinevere, but you know your father wouldn't approve. When I said one day you will be the king and can decide for yourself, you told me you couldn't expect her to wait for you._

  * _You worry – maybe even truly believe – that your father sees you as a big disappointment who will never live up to his standards._

  * _Your mother dying in childbirth does not help the above, because you also worry that he unconsciously blames you._

  * _Morgana's got you wrapped around her finger. She speaks her mind in a way you don't when it comes to things you both disagree with your father on, but she's never worried about losing his love. She sees injustice and can't stay quiet, royal protocol be damned. You both love and hate that about her, and in the end, she'll show up in your room to yell about it some more and convince you to go behind your father's back and go save people._

  * _Sometimes knights go easy on you, because no one wants to injure the crown prince. This bothers you more than it should. I guess you find it condescending or something? Who knows?_

  * _You have a lot of fantasies about running away._

  * _No man is worth my tears._




_I'm from an alternate future where we were best friends for years while I hid my magic. It wasn't a good future. Please direct any further questions to Merlin or Kilgharrah, though preferably Merlin, because Kilgharrah is a cryptic shit ._

  
  


“You expect me to believe this?”

“I hope so. I mean you read it like four times, and we need to go or did you forget there is a DRAGON waiting.”

“You read my mind. You must have. While I was asleep you took my memories from me.”

(But even he didn't believe that)

“Dragon. You coming? Look, I'll give you back all your stuff if you come. I have like literally a third of the armory confiscated.”

“Stolen.”

“ _Confiscated._ Are you coming, or do I have to drag you there kicking and screaming like a four-year-old?”

“You can't order me.”

“Oh you're right. Ahem. Sire, would it be your preference to walk a step in front of me like a respectable prince, or would you rather enjoy I drag you behind me for your convenience?” That one got half a laugh. 

But they are just too similar. “And if I should go kicking and screaming it would alert the guards.”

“Oh my god.” Merlin buries his face in his hands, Kilgharrah's ever present cry of, “Merlin,” has gone from a subdued whisper to an angry shout. He is so Done.

With that, he grabs Arthur by the forearm and pulls him along.

Arthur didn't know he was bluffing when he said he'd call the guards, but apparently he was. It dawns on him with horror that he's having fun. It feels like playing pretend as a child, except he is an adult and should be far more concerned as he turns a corner with a magic-user he has known for all of two days who claims to be his best friend from the future. He should be, but gosh if that doesn't sound FUN.

Said magic-user who is now creating another light from nothing and moving for them to go down the stairway to the dragon. The Great Dragon his father captured as a show of dominion years ago.

Why is he walking faster to catch up?

There's something about Merlin.

Something that made a ka-thunk the first moment he laid eyes.

Merlin slows at the mouth of the cavern and offers Arthur his hand, only to get a withering look in return. He drops it to his side with a sigh. “You're always like this. Well, let's move.”

They breathe in the scenery of the underground, jagged rocks from all directions, dripping water with no visible source, and it seems to go on forever if only you look up. Merlin shuffles closer to Arthur, and Arthur silently categorizes him as a wimp.

Though his eyes do slightly widen at the mad, joyous laughter from above them. In chains, the beast of legend lands in front of their faces, before shifting into anger, moving backwards to stand to its full height. This may have been a bad idea.

“Who dares posses the body of Emrys?”

“It speaks?!”

“And you've brought the young Pendragon to me as well. I assure you, I take no sacrifice by him.”

“You sure do,” Merlin says, dry and bitter. “And it's still me. I'm Merlin. I just travelled all the way back in my own timeline to one of my favorite memories with Arthur. Either that, or I'm at the bottom of Avalon Lake being drowned by the Sidhe with my life flashing before my eyes. I haven't decided.”

The dragon sniffs Merlin from all angles, does some strange roar, and then nods. He smiles and blinks and seems satisfied with the assessment.

“Should I be convinced if he's convinced?”

“YOU should be convinced either way!”

“You have lived a great many years for your lifetime, young warlock.”

“Yes, thank you, it's been awful. Thanks for never telling me about the immortality thing until it suited your destiny speech. Was real helpful. Speaking of, destiny speech.” He gestures to Arthur with both hands, presenting him to an audience. “Give it to him.”

The dragon's eyes shift to Arthur, and he finds himself holding his breath under the monster's glare. The dragon for his part, stays painfully silent, considering Arthur for even longer than he considered Merlin just a moment ago. The dragon blinks. Arthur hears the blood rushing in his ears. The dragon stares. Arthur holds the mirrored glare, showing no fear and no weakness. He stands tall in his sleep clothes, ready to remind the great dragon who between the three of them is in chains if the need arises. He feels dizzy waiting for the need to arise. Then the dragon laughs at him.

“Ha ha! You are turning red, young Pendragon. Do breathe. I am sure Merlin has not come back in time to see you die in such a way.”

“Arthur Pendragon,” he continues, “Prophecy deep in the history of the Olde Religion names you long even before the genocide of my proud kind. You are the Once and Future King, destined to unite the five kingdoms of Albion with Emrys at your side.”

“And... Merlin...” Arthur swallows, still trying to betray nothing, though it fools neither Merlin who knows his king like a well-worn book, nor Kilgharrah, who is a cryptic, possibly-omniscient bastard. “Merlin is this Emrys?”

“That's me!” Arthur turns fully to Merlin, and once again he is hit by that ka-thunk feeling in his chest. The feeling of tab A going into slot B, the feeling of busted clockwork with a missing gear starting to work again. The feeling of a rock crushing his ribs from the inside.

It felt even worse when Merlin knelt before him in some poor imitation of a knight and reached out his hand for the third time since they met. This time Arthur took it.

“Arthur, you made my every day a living hell for a good ten years, and I am so, **so** happy to see you. My loyalty to you is as undying as immortality. I swear to protect you with everything I have, as I always have, as I always will. All my goal ever was was to make it out alive together or die with you at your side. I won't fail my goal again.”

Merlin gingerly let go of Arthur's hand and moves to his feet. Arthur's silence is deafening. “Heh, guess I'll have to clean these pants now. I'm such an idiot servant, right? Never thinking.”

“Ok.”

“What was that, sire?”

“Ok.” The prince turned on his heel and walked back up the stairs without looking back.

“He probably needs time to process all this information is all,” Merlin reasons.

“I wish you luck, young warlock,” said Kilgharrah, not all sounding like he'd wish Merlin luck. “None of us can choose our destiny, and none of us can escape it.”

Wings poised to take flight, he gives one last look to Merlin's forced neutral expression. It tells the dragon all he wanted to know: hard as he may try, Merlin does not truly believe he can save his king.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you can't tell (you probably can) this is retro-chic fanfiction. This is like crack from the olde times. This is grade-S nonsense. I AM taking constructive criticism at this time. Screams are also acceptable feedback. And encouragement just feels nice...


	3. The Dragon's Call (That Merlin is letting go to voicemail. Just text him.)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part two of this episode features the assassin witch who Merlin remembers disguised herself as a singer but no details beyond that. She's so easy to defeat that it's more a mark on his to-do list than anything else. 
> 
> Arthur, however, is reeling from part 1, to the detriment of his daily life. He is driving himself crazy, shocked in at least four different directions. He thinks maybe if he had the memories of the other him, everything would make sense. Merlin just wants to hang.
> 
> And Uther's first meeting Merlin! Oh ho ho Watch as the genocidal, complex antagonist whose cruelty has indirectly driven almost every main plot of the canon show is reduced to a Saturday morning villain absolutely baffled at his son, his pride, his last piece of Ygraine who was taken from him by magic, is friends with the fearsome magic-user the knights are SUPPOSED to be arresting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter almost got so dark at the end. I don't know what I was thinking or where my brain went. I am so glad I came to my senses and redid it.

_Please let it have been a dream_ _  
__Please let it have been a dream_ _  
__Please let it have been a very, very vivid dream._

One eye opens. Then the other. All his stuff is back. Maybe it really was just a lucid dream. But he doesn't really believe that. Arthur sighs and checks under his pillow. His knife is back, and under it the piece of paper he should probably shred. Please no. Please no. This can't be happening. This can't be real life.

Fuck. It is.

It's the same list, and furthermore he takes note that Merlin's written something new in the lower righthand corner.

_There's an assassin at tonight's banquet._

_Come hang out at Gaius' if you have the chance!_

_If not, I'll pop in your room with lunch later._

_Sorry that I dropped so much stuff on you at once_

_See you soon,_

_XOXO Merlin_

Arthur folds up the letter and gets back in bed.

Absolutely not.

He's not dealing with this. He is going back to sleep, and if alternate timelines do exist, **he will** **wake up in one that makes sense.**

God.

He faceplants into the fluffier pillow with a satisfying dent, pulls the covers over his head, and wills the sun to go away. And the night to go away, come to think. Because Merlin's note is accurate about one thing: there _is_ an event tonight, and he'll have to attend. And watch of for assassins?? Maybe???

Maybe he should get up and go down to Gaius' after all.

….

Nope. No, nope. Can't do it. Arthur Pendragon is not a coward, he's not afraid of facing the day. He's just... working through some stuff. Digesting. He has a lot to think about.

Like that magic is a force of evil that, proportionate to the strength of its use, corrupts the offender from the inside out with hate, lust, envy, and greed; which does not at all line up with Merlin, who apparently once hid his magic in plain sight for years in addition to being his best friend. And who has time traveled by aging backwards somehow, and woke him up in the middle of the night to introduce him to a dragon.

He can disarm enemies with a blink of an eye and disappear into fire and summon stars from the night sky just to use as a reading light.

If the dragon is a credible source, Merlin is a magic-user of fabled power. Who's just – just some guy! He's Just Some Guy.

So _maybe_ , he figures, Merlin has already been fully corrupted by magic, just in a atypical way. That is a Possible Conclusion Arthur draws, face down, dead-to-the-world. Perhaps the corruption Merlin's soul suffered was not hate-based but love-based. He was poisoned with it. Consumed from the inside out until all that was left of him is a loyalty even he could not truly understand but is eternally slave to nonetheless. A subversive take on the tragic hero.

(Arthur had to study the classics.)

> "I swear to protect you with everything I have, as I always have, as I always will. All my goal ever was was to make it out alive together or die with you at your side. I won't fail my goal again."

What could Arthur possibly say to that?!

They met YESTERDAY!

(Well two days ago now.)

The fuck was he supposed to say to that? “Thanks”?

There are other Possible Conclusions Arthur has drawn, but he doesn't really like any of those. 

  1. Magic's never been evil, turning his own father's life work from a crusade into genocide. 

  2. Merlin's magic did not corrupt him into a slavish devotion; Arthur did.

  3. His embarrassment over Merlin's sentimentality is far outweighed by the desire understand it




In order of most concerning to least, **none of these ideas are appealing.** ****

And then there is all this destiny crap! He's supposed to be the greatest king to ever live? He's supposed to die somewhere along the line to accomplish that? That death indirectly turns Merlin immortal? He is expected to unite the entire landmass under his banner. He's a fabled king who has been told of long before he was born

– Is that a timeline thing, too?! Are prophets real? Are they just sorcerer's from the future? Oh my god. –

As if he didn't have enough pressure on him already.

the other Arthur told Merlin about that

If any of this is real.  
It could all just be an intricate trap relying on trust and confusion.  
That theory would make sense.  
 **Arthur would prefer if things made sense right now.** ****

So why doesn't he believe it?

* * *

The kitchen staff not only didn't recognize him, but flat out disbelieved he was taking food to their crown prince. He got chased out and advised to come up with a better lie if he plans to steal food.

So instead, Merlin holds a basket under his arm filled by bakers stands in the market square. Getting spending money from this time period was a bit of a hassle, but he made Gaius an offer he couldn't refuse. (To translate an Anatomy and Physiology textbook into old English)

Oh wow, unlocked again. It's as if the way these locks work is dangerously simplistic even without magic. Merlin Note to Self: check storage for a combination lock.

"We missed you at Gaius' today! I brought snacks." Arthur is sitting up with his head on his knees and a thousand yard stare. "Damn. I really broke you, didn't I?" He closes the door behind him and sets the basket in front of Arthur. "Did you get any sleep last night?"

"Come on, say something."

"The lemon rolls are still warm." He takes one out and bites into it, letting steam come out of the center. "Mm, fresh too. You know handmade pastries are an art."

Nothing.

"Well take some before I eat them all. I see you scared off whoever was supposed to get you ready for the day. They probably took one look at you and backed out of the room. If this is how you've been all day, then I'm surprised no one came to tell Gaius. Maybe they just thought you were being a spoiled brat again and didn't want to deal with it. I certainly wouldn't want to deal with you if I didn't have to. Not much variety to bread, is there? All delicious, but all carbs, and carbs go straight to your thighs if you're not careful. Don't you hate how some people can make that look good? It's like gravity chose to be nice to them and make their curves all smooth and tight. For the record, that's not you. Not me either, though, so you know. Bread isn't bad. Carbs are a necessary part of any diet. It's just they taste so good that it's easy to overdo them. Though that's more me; you overdo meat. You're so loaded up on protein and knight training that you can't wait to take your shirt off at any given opportunity, you think you're such a heartthrob I swear. Not exactly humble about it either. It is so painful to watch you act too cool for everyone I'm just there like oh my god here we go again. Don't get me wrong, I know I'm a human disaster. I have never had a conversation go well IN MY LIFE. I don't know how I do it. You'd think at some point I'd learn, but nope. Contrary to popular belief, tripping into someone is not a cute first impression. And how unfair is that? I am the personified form of a trainwreck. You wouldn't know what a train is, see this is exactly what I mean, ok what's an equivalent -”

“Please. Stop.”

“HE TALKS!”

“Shut. Up.”

“But the more I annoy you the more you talk. Now I have an incentive outside of filling space.”

For the first time today, Arthur looks him the face. “I won't talk if you continue.”

“Will you talk if I shut up?” Merlin looks so excited he may burst into song.

“Yes, fine. Hand me a corn muffin.”

Merlin zips his lips, locks them with a key, and tosses the key over his shoulder. Arthur is both confused and unimpressed. Still, even silent Merlin continues to prattle on, glaring at Arthur when he grabs a muffin.

“What?”

Merlin picks up one of Arthur's sheets, lets it fall, and then points to the antechamber's table.

“You are even more annoying like this! Just speak.”

Merlin takes a deep breath as if he had been underwater and not just quiet. In a poor attempt at comedic effect? “You know in the other timeline, you would have hit me like five times by now. I think you're still in shock.”

“No shit!”

“What I was saying was that muffins are way crumblier than rolls, so you should move to the table if you don't want crumbs in your bed. If you insist on being a blanket burrito, you should at least eat over a plate.”

“Well did you bring a plate?”

“No, because I was kicked out of the kitchen.”

“You could have asked Gaius.”

“You know I didn't have to bring you snacks at all. I'm not your servant yet.”

“You'd make a lousy one. If I want to eat in bed, it's not your place to tell me I'll get crumbs. You sound like a nanny.”

“Well part of my job is babysitting you, isn't it? Or will be. After tonight. Speaking of tonight: do you want to hash out the assassin details before you get up and ready?”

“If you're my servant, you should be getting me ready.”

“Well I'm not yet, am I? That's part of the story of tonight. Though I don't know for sure how it'll go if I'm openly a magic user this time.”

“I won't let my father...” Arthur trails off, which Merlin takes to mean that he's not sure what he'll do when Uther becomes an obstacle.

But Arthur started that sentence at all, even if he's not sure. “...Thanks.” And Merlin is not going to go into an emotional tailspin of memories and past fears and failures and Uther and Arthur loving him anyways in the end no no compartmentalize good cry later if there's time. “I appreciate it.” He'll never understand regardless.

“I'll. I'll go eat at the table.” Arthur gets up, and Merlin has to roll his eyes when he sees he's only in his underwear. Better than nothing at least. “Who is the assassin then?”

Merlin moves from his place by the bed to leisurely lean on the door with his arms crossed. “Ah, so you know that famous singer that's performing for your father?”

“Lady Helen wants to kill my father?!”

“It's not the original singer. A witch shape shifted to look like her to get into the castle. She's the level of drama I am doing my best to aspire to to boot. It's not until she's performing with all eyes on her that she sings a spell to put everyone to sleep. Ah, and she's not after your father. She wants to kill you.”

“Me?! Why?”

“How should I know? To hurt your father, I'd guess.”

“Do you always talk like that?”

“What?"

"What?"

"So I'm thinking I stop her song by dropping a chandelier on her like before, but then when she throws a knife at you, instead of pulling you out of the way, I'll use magic to deflect it.”

“I'm sorry, what?”

“Eat your brunch. I'll talk to you later.” With that, Merlin darts out the door.

“Merlin!” Arthur jumps up and shouts down the hall at a clearly-not-leisurely retreating Merlin. “Merlin why would you do that?”

Merlin speeds up at Arthur's voice and falls flat on his face.  
Arthur decides maybe don't chase after him without clothes.

* * *

Before things go down, Merlin has time to catch up with Gwen. He's pretty excited. It's too bad she looks afraid of him. It really breaks his heart. But they'll be friends all over again, he's sure. They have to, because if they don't, Merlin is going to knock himself out with a candelabra. 

"Thanks for keeping me company when I was in the stocks," he tries.

"Sure." 

"Please don't be afraid of me, Gwen. I swear I'm not up to anything bad."

"Then what ARE you up to? How did you even get in here?"

"Remember when I went all ominous and told Arthur we'd meet again?"

At that Gwen's whole face stretches in panic. Ah. Wrong thing to say. Wrong thing to say. 

"I don't mean now," he rushes to clear up, "I mean we already met again, and we patched things up."

She shakes her head and backs up further. "No. Arthur wouldn't just talk to a magic-user."

Merlin looks over her shoulder in search of Arthur. "Normally you're right..." He sees him with the knights and points him out to Gwen. "But I'm special." 

Merlin waves at Arthur with a huge smile. Arthur doesn't wave back, but he does roll his eyes like Merlin's an annoying tagalong, which is basically their dynamic anyways. Either way, Arthur made no move to alert security or make a scene. 

"See?" Merlin absolutely beams at Gwen. "I'm special."

This makes Gwen even more nervous. "What did you do to him?" It's an accusation. An insinuation. As if Merlin would ever cast a love spell on Arthur. 

"Nothing! I didn't do anything to him. I mean, nothing like _that._ I didn't use magic on him."

" _What did you do to him?_ " she repeats.

"I promise, he's _fine._ And he's going to _remain_ fine. That's my job."

From behind them both: "What do you want, _Mer_ lin?" 

"Arthur!" Merlin cheered. "Tell Gwen I didn't do anything to you."

"I could, but I'd be lying." He takes a long sip of wine. "I'm exhausted."

Gwen looks between the two. "I'm... going to get the guards."

She turns away to get help, but Arthur reaches for her wrist. "Wait." She looks back at him, stunned and confused.

Merlin goes starry-eyed at such a classic romance move happening with his OTP. _Yesyesyes_ Queen Guinevere 

"Gwen, Merlin's allowed to be here."

"Allowed to be here?! He's a wanted criminal who _attacked_ you!" 

Merlin flinches at that, which makes Arthur feel unjustifiably guilty all over again. Unjustifiable because Gwen isn't out of line here, and guilty because Merlin's sad face looks even stupider than his his resting face. It makes Arthur want to put him in a headlock and noogie him until he goes back to normal. So he backs Merlin fully. 

"Merlin couldn't hurt me if he were the most powerful sorcerer in existence." Merlin nods along. The truth is often hidden in plain sight. After all, he's a wanted criminal, and no one's even noticed he's here when he looks like a waiter. 

Merlin doesn't like seeing Gwen so distressed. Arthur, too, does not like seeing Gwen so distressed. So when she yells, "Explain!" they are both all too happy to be given the chance.

"Hmph. Last night I climbed into Arthur's window and swept him off his feet on an adventure like the romantic badboy I am."

"Last night you picked the lock to my room and deliberately woke me up to talk about dragons."

About dragons. To a dragon. Even if Merlin has resolved to keep no secrets, he respects Arthur's choices to keep secrets and won't contradict them. Much. "You said I'd look really cool in dragon armor."

Arthur chokes on his wine and gives Merlin a warning look. _B_ _itch don't test me_ is written all over his face. "I think you mean when you tripped while running, and I said we ought to keep you in a helmet."

"So," Gwen interrupts with apprehensive caution, "You two are really friends?"

"Well I wouldn't go that far -" "- We're inseparable," they answer at the same time. 

"Merlin."

"Yes, my lord?"

"One more crack, and I really will get the guards." He sighs and then gets to why he walked over in the first place. "So why did you wave me over? Is this about the singer?" 

"Can't I just say hi to you?"

" _No._ Is that all?"

"Mm, I guess. You should know all your friends are drooling over Morgana."

"They're WHAT?" he spins around to look at his knights and sure enough sees Morgana in a rebellious gown that has his friends invested and his father disapproving. "God have mercy." He speeds over to his father's ward and starts a conversation to get his body in between her and certain stares. 

Merlin chuckles at the sight. "It's nice how protective he can get of his sister. It's one of the things that makes him sufferable."

Gwen's not looking at her lady, though. She's looking at Merlin looking at Arthur. "Morgana isn't his sister," she says. "She's the King's ward."

Merlin just hums at that. She takes his distraction as an opportunity to slink away.

Horns announce the King's arrival, and everyone finds their place to be perfectly polite and still and attentive to his words, servants and guests alike. He takes his time walking the down the center of the hall, giving all his guests a chance to take in his dignity as host. At the table at the far end of the room with his children flanking on either side, he remains standing and says a few words with his arm extended to the door:

"We have enjoyed twenty years of peace and prosperity. It has brought the kingdom and myself many pleasures, but few can compare with the honor of introducing Lady Helen of Mora."

The court applauds, the guests sit, and servants serve, and the accompaniment begins to play.

"Showtime."

As a prince, Arthur never jumps or startles. He has trained since birth to be a strong ruler the people can one day rely on. The lack of outside reaction does not detract from how close Merlin is standing right next to him - and seems to be waiting for an answer. In response, Arthur focuses straight ahead at the main entrance and ignores him. Will his plots always be such a distraction?

Thankfully, Merlin gets the idea - guess there is a brain somewhere in there - and steps further back, blending seamlessly in with the other staff. Lady Helen's imposter sounds just like Lady Helen. Did she steal her voice with her body? Is that how...

* * *

Arthur wakes a bit slowly. Feels a little dazed. Did Merlin's late night shenanigans cause him to fall asleep during the banquet? He'll have that bastard in the stocks for the lecture he's sure to get! And cobwebs. 

Cobwebs? Arthur's eyes sweep the room and sees everyone is in the same state as him. Most notably, Lady Helen is crushed under a chandelier just as Merlin said. Arthur braces himself for the fallout of what's about to happen next:

With her dying breath, the witch throws a dagger at an impossible speed aimed at Arthur's heart. _Maybe this is it_ , he thinks in slow motion, _maybe the plan was to lead me to believe he'll step in so I stay still and am killed by another._ (That would make sense - and he ever so wants something in this world to make sense - but even in that split second of time, he can't force himself to believe it.)

Ka-ching! 

The dagger stops midair and hits the floor at an angle. 

In front of him, and in front of the entire court, Merlin wears a shield tied on his arm, a shield of no physical material but a wavering, translucent light. It harkens to fabled weapons and fictions of holy knights granted god's power if their cause righteous. You could hear a pin drop in that room, every person looking at Merlin in awe. Fearful, yes, but awed nonetheless.

(Of course Merlin has to ruin it.) The shield detracts and disappears, and it is only now that Arthur realizes Merlin is posing. "Ha," boasts Merlin, "Is that the best you've got?" He stalks up to the imposter whose illusion is shattered, now lifeless before him. With a sneer, he puts a boot on her neck and addresses the court. **"Anyone who dare come for the life of Arthur Pendragon will have to go through me, and trust me, that's a fight you can't win."**

This ultimatum was entirely undercut by Merlin turning back to Arthur with a nervous-hopeful expression that even a stranger could read as _I did good, right? That looked cool? Was I threatening? I tried my best._ Arthur could only close his eyes and pinch the bridge of his nose in response. Who told destiny to give this kid unlimited magical prowess? Were there no other candidates to tie Arthur to for life? None at all?

Still... despite his best efforts... he finds the corners of his mouth crinkling. Which turns into a restrained laugh out his nose, and at that point he can't contain himself one bit. He strides up to Merlin and pulls him back by the shoulder. "You are absolutely ridiculous," he sighs. Though by the way Merlin beams back at him, the words must have gone in one ear and out the other.

"And you're an ass," Merlin counters, "A royal one."

Arthur finds himself beaming right back. 

"Contain the sorcerer at once!" Up, the King finally got over his shock. 

The knights look conflicted. Uther is the King they have sworn fealty to, and magic users are meant to be all-evil like the one who just tried to kill them all like ten minutes ago. 

On the other hand. Arthur is the one who trains with them, leads them in the field, is one of them. And if they understood right, this magic user used his powers to protect their prince like _five_ minutes ago. 

Merlin took this moment of hesitation as his cue to leave. He held his hands up in surrender and projected his voice once more. **"I shall return to you in a time of need, Arthur Pendragon."** He sounded so dark and serious as he nearly yelled it, but as he fazed out of existence, he winked at Arthur and laughed. 

* * *

Merlin shows himself in to Arthur's room late that night with a bread basket. "I brought snacks."

"This is my time of need?" Arthur glares but moves himself out of bed anyways. 

Merlin shrugs. "You might need snacks."

"Is there a reason you're back here at this hour?" Arthur sighs. "Is it the dragon again?"

"No. Actually, I..." Merlin chews on his lip, not fully meeting Arthur's eyes, his heart worn so plainly on his sleeve that Arthur can't fathom how Merlin allegedly hid his magic for a decade. "Can't I just want to hang out with you?"

Damn those puppy dog eyes. Damn those puppy dog eyes. Damn those puppy dog eyes. "Hand me a lemon roll."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 took me a bit longer than I anticpated
> 
> I don't like writing Gwen as scared of Merlin, but it would only make sense after that show he put on. Don't worry. They'll end up friends later, because as we all know, everyone loves Merlin. It's impossible not to love Merlin. He is a cinnamon roll who tries his best with every fibre of his being.
> 
> Thanks to everyone for all the positive feedback. I'm having so much fun with this. We're all on board for there being an Episode 2, right?


	4. Bonus chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Memes I made while procrastinating a transition between scenes I didn't know how to make

  
  
  
  


Thank you all

And I swear on my honor I won't be mean to Gwen for the sake of making Merthur endgame in this series, which I promise it will be regardless

**Author's Note:**

> If you can't tell (you probably can) this is retro-chic fanfiction. This is like crack from the olde times. This is grade-S nonsense. I AM taking constructive criticism at this time. Screams are also acceptable feedback.


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